Selective gong damper for a dual-gong ringer



1957 J. F. HOUDEK, JR 2,808,019

SELECTIVE GONG DAMPER FOR A DUAL-GONG RINGER Filed May 31, 1955 UnitedStates Patent SELECTIVE GONG DAMPER FOR A DUAL-GONG RINGER Joseph F. Houdek, Jr., Elmhurst, Ill., assignor to International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Maryland Application May 31, 1955, Serial No. 512,232

4 Claims. (Cl. 116-149) This invention relates to a selective gong damper for a dual-gong ringer, being concerned more particularly with apparatus suitable for damping selectively the gongs of a telephone substation ringer, particularly a tuned ringer as used in frequency-selective party-line systems.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved selective gong-damping mechanism which is of a simple but satisfactory low-cost construction.

The invention is disclosed as applied to a tuned telephone substation ringer constructed according to my pending application Serial No. 459,135, filed September 29, 1954. Such a telephone ringer has a pair of gongs mounted on a ringer frame which supports a polarized electromagnet and an armature having a clapper stem provided with a clapper for striking the gongs alternately when the electromagnet is energized by current of the selected frequency.

In known selective gong-damping mechanism for ringers, several separate parts are used which include a pair of spring-pressed dampers pivoted on the ringer frame and a selective cammiug member slidable on the frame to control the pivoted clamping members.

According to the invention, the improved selective gong damper comprises essentially a single member slidably mounted on the ringer frame and including a pair of damping spring arms which cooperate with cammiug surfaces provided by the ringer frame.

A feature of the improved construction is that the desired cammiug surfaces can be molded or otherwise produced economically incidental to the production of the frame, and the remaining parts can be punched and formed from a single piece of spring material.

The above-mentioned and other features and objects of this invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the invention itself will be best understood, by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings comprising Figs. 1 to 4, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary bottom view of the base assembly of a desk-stand telephone embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. l; and

Figs. 3 and 4 are further views similar to Fig. 2 showing different settings of the gong damper.

Referring to the drawings, the ringer is shown mounted to base plate 1 of a deskstand telephone by means of screws 3.

The ringer comprisesa frame 4 including a pair of shelf-like integral sections 27 (Fig. 2) for mounting the gong assemblies.

Each shelf-ledge section 27 carries similar gong assemblies comprising a circular base member 42 (Fig. 2) having a projecting stub shaft (not shown), which is adapted for rotation in a suitable aperture in the frame section as disclosed in the noted application. A gong support post (not shown) projects upwardly from base 42 and has rigidly secured thereto a resonator and a 2,808,019 Patented Oct. 1, 1957 ICQ gong, such as 13, mounted in telescopic relation therewith by means of a screw 32. As disclosed in the noted application the gong assemblies are rotatably secured to the frame sections 27 by means of screws 34, only one of which is shown in Fig. l.

The electromagnet in the noted application includes an armature to which is secured a clapper rod, such as 29, having a clapper 30 for striking gongs 13 and 14 alternately.

The damper 16 is slidably secured to the frame and is releasably secured in one of three positions, a normal position (Figs. 1 and 2) where the dampers are cammed out of engagement with their respective gongs, and two off-normal positions whereby one gong is damped (Fig. 3) and then both gongs are damped (Fig. 4).

With the ringer adjusted to its maximum sound output as disclosed in the noted application, the gong damper 16 is moved to the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, to progessively decrease the sound output.

To facilitate the sound regulation of the ringer by the telephone subscriber the damper 16 is provided with a projecting portion 23 which protrudes through and is accessible by way of a suitable slot 2 in base 1 (Figs. 1 and 2).

The gong damper 16 is a generally H-shaped member which may be formed of relatively thin material. The integral formation, as viewed in Fig. 2, comprises a main portion 17, two guide arms 18 projecting at right angles from the upper end of 17, and two arms 19 and 20 projecting at right angles from the turned-up lower edge of 17. The arms 19 and 20 being disposed substantially parallel to arms 18 and are normally tensioned inwardly toward their respective gongs 13 and 14.

The frame 4 is provided with a recessed area 9 which receives the main portion 17 of damper 16, while guide arms 18 are similarly received within recesses 10.

The guide arms 18, of damper 16 are slidably mounted within the recesses 10 before the gong assemblies are secured to the frame sections by means of screws 34. As shown in Fig. 2, the sideward movement of damper 16 is limited by the engagement of portion 17 with edges 11 and 12 of recessed area 9.

The free end of arm 19 is provided with a button 21 for damping gong 13. Button 21 may be molded of any non-metallic material thereby reducing the clatter normally found in metal-to-metal gong dampers of this type. As clearly indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, arm 19 is cammed outwardly by offset 5, of frame 4, thereby holding button 21 out of engagement with gong 13 when the damper is set for maximum volume.

Arm 20 is provided with a similar button 22 for damping gong 14 when the damper is set for minimum volume (Fig. 4). As clearly indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, arm 20 is provided with a projecting portion 23 which is provided with a suitable aperture for receiving the reduced end portion of stud 24 which is secured thereto by riveting.

Frame 4 is provided with a frame section 6 having a pair of notches 7 which accommodate stud 24 and serve in latching damper 16 in its normal position and in one of its off-normal positions (Figs. 2 and 3). In another off-normal position stud 24 engages the circular portion of section 6 when set for minimum volume (Fig. 4).

Reference will now be made to Figs. 2, 3, and 4.

In Fig. 2 the gong damper 16 is set for maximum volume. It will be observed that at this setting buttons 21 and 22 are held out of engagement with their respective gongs 13 and 14. Arm 19 being cammed outwardly by frame section 5 while arm 20 is positioned by stud 24 in the left notch 7 of frame section 6.

In Fig. 3 the gong damper 16 has been moved to the right and positioned by stud 24 in the right notch 7. As the result of this movement arm 19 carries button 21 into engagement with gong 13. This results in the sound signal for gong 13 being of a lower intensity.

In Fig. 4 gong damper 16 has been moved further to the right its movement being limited by the engagement of portion 17 with edge 12. In this position, stud 24 engages the circular camming portion of section 6 thereby permitting arm 20 to move inwardly until buttom 22 engages gong 14. Button 21, carried by arm 19., remains in damping position with gong 13. This results in the sound signal for gongs 13 and 14 being of a lower intensity.

While I have described above the principles of my invention in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope o my invention. I

I claim:

1. In combination, a ringer comprising a frame having mounted thereon gongs and a gong-striking mechanism which includes clapper means for striking the gongs, gong-damping structure and means for securing it to the frame for a sliding movement between adjustment positions located along the frame, said gong-damping structure including damping arms slidable with the structure between corresponding positions of adjustment and being spaced apart and located along the structure to register with the gongs respectively with the gong-damping structure in any of its said adjustment positions, said structure further including spring means biasing the damping arms to make damping contact with their respective gongs unless restrained, and camming means fixed with the frame for camming the arms out of damping contact selectively according to their occupied position of adjustment.

2. In a combination according to claim 1, wherein the gongs comprise a pair, and wherein the said positions of adjustment comprise three positions, the said camming means comprising means for camming both arms out of damping contact in one said position of adjustment, for camming one arm out of damping contact in a second position of adjustment while permitting the other arm to make damping contact with "its gong, and for permitting both arms to make damping contact with their respective gongs in the third of said positions of adjustment.

3. In a combination according to claim 2, wherein the means for securing the gong-damping structure to the frame for sliding movement includes integral guide arms of the structure disposed generally parallel with said damping arms.

4. In a combination according to claim 2, the said frame including spaced raised extensions for receiving between said extensions positioning means carried by one damping arm to selectively position the gong-damping structure in one of its three positions of adjustment.

No references cited. 

